On the Bench with Byron Higgin

Minneota Senior Isaac Hennen has not only been selected to play in the 2017 Minnesota Football Showcase (All-Star Football Game), but he’s one of the 11 finalists for the 2017 Mr. Football Award.

The Minnesota Football Coaches Association and the Minnesota Vikings sponsor the Mr. Football program. The award will be given at 10 a.m., Sunday, Dec. 10 at the annual Mr. Football Banquet.

Of the finalists, only Hennen, Carter Kopet of Cleveland and Owen King of Caledonia are from small towns.

The others are: Ronald Audette of Elk River; Ty Barron of Minnetonka; Michael Empting of Alexandria; Preston Jelen of Prior Lake; Conner Knoepfle of Andover; Antonia Montero of Eden Prairie; Spencer Rolland of Apple Valley and Brevyn Spann-Ford of St. Cloud Tech.

Hennen has 1,407 rushing yards on 142 carries this year and 784 yards receiving on 45 receptions for 2,191 accumulative yards between rushing and receiving.

He’s scored 22 touchdowns rushing and 10 receiving for a total of 32.

On defense, he has 22 unassisted tackles and 54 assisted for a total of 76 — second best on the team, next to Shawn Buysse’s 147 total.

Hennen has set Minneota’s career scoring record with 84 touchdowns and he’s currently in third for career rushing in Minneota with 3,587 yards.

He also has career receiving yards of 1,516 yards on 84 receptions.

The all-star game will be played at 3 p.m., Saturday, December 9 at US Bank Stadium in Minneapolis.

The North-South game will be coached by Scott Gonnerman of Benson for the North and Dan Fritze of East Ridge for the south. Hennen follows Tanner Differding of Minneota, who played in the game last year.